This invention relates to a heat-sensitive transcription printer system comprising a heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette system and a heat-sensitive transcription printer device.
If plural sorts of the heat sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette or recording sheets are used in a heat-sensitive transcription printer, it is necessary for the heat-sensitive transcription printer to discriminate the ink types, recording characteristics or the number of images. As means therefor, mechanically or optically readable identification information is provided on a cassette housing a heat sensitive transcription ink sheet and a signal pattern of the identification information read on loading the cassette on the heat-sensitive transcription printer is collated to a pattern stored at the outset on a memory of the heat-sensitive transcription printer, by way of discrimination. For example, a seal having recorded thereon an optically readable information pattern, termed a code ring, is provided on a spool adapted for sending out the heat sensitive transcription ink sheet. In use, the rotational operation of the spool is utilized to cause a recognition device provided on the heat-sensitive transcription printer to read out the information by, for example, infrared rays.
It has also been proposed to have a memory mounted on a cassette itself for storing the type of the heat sensitive transcription ink sheet, the number of images or control data of the heat-sensitive transcription printer thereon and to connect the cassette to the heat-sensitive transcription printer via a connector or a contact on loading the cassette on the heat-sensitive transcription printer to read out the stored data.
However, if the mechanically or optically readable identification information is provided on the cassette, ingenuous techniques need to be used to enable the reliable operation of the mechanical or optical switches to enable positive readout of the information signals when the cassette is loaded on the heat-sensitive transcription printer.
Moreover, since the identification information cannot be rewritten in use, the number of residual images of the heat sensitive transcription ink sheets need to be counted on the side of the heat-sensitive transcription printer. There is also a problem that, if the cassettes in use are exchanged, it becomes impossible to count the number of images. In addition, if a memory is mounted on the cassette to exchange the information with the heat-sensitive transcription printer via a connector, it is necessary to provide a memory and a connector circuit in the cassette casing, while it is also necessary to provide electrical contacts to assure positive connection to the heat-sensitive transcription printer.
Since the cassette is liable to modification, it is necessary to provide suitable measures to prevent easy counterfeiting even for the inherent identification information provided on the cassette, such as name of the manufacturer, product number, manufacturing number, product type or recording characteristics. If the above-mentioned code ring is used to afford the identification information, the optically recognizable identification information can readily be modified or modified. Therefore, such a cassette which can be reliably mounted on the heat-sensitive transcription printer, can readily record the using hysteresis information. such as the number of residual images, and which is not susceptible to counterfeiting or modification, as well as a heat-sensitive transcription printer using this cassette, has so far been desired.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a heat-sensitive transcription printer system which is not used in a mistaken fashion in a heat-sensitive transcription printing device, which is able to perform optimum printing and record the using hysteresis information readily and with which it is possible to prevent falsification or modification. It is another object of the present invention to provide a heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette and a heat-sensitive transcription printing device.
In one aspect, the present invention provides heat-sensitive transcription printer system including a heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette and a heat-sensitive transcription printing device on which the heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette is loaded, wherein the heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette includes, on a sheet-shaped substrate, an IC label having an IC memory, a power receiving/supplying means for supplying the power to the IC memory and signal communication means for performing communication of signals between the IC memory and the heat-sensitive transcription printing device. The IC memory has the discrimination information proper to the heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette previously recorded thereon and which is able to electrically read out the discrimination information. The heat-sensitive transcription printing device includes power supplying means for supplying the power through the power receiving/supplying means to the IC memory of the IC label provided on the heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette, control means for collating the discrimination information previously recorded on the IC memory to control the picture printing operation based on the collated results, and signal communication means for performing signal communication between the IC memory and the control means to reproduce the discrimination information previously recorded on the IC memory by the control means in a non-contact fashion.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette used in a heat-sensitive transcription printing device adapted for performing heat-sensitive transcription recording, wherein the heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette includes a sheet-like substrate having an IC memory having the electrically readable discrimination information proper to the heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette previously recorded thereon, power receiving/supplying means for supplying the power to the IC memory and signal communication means for performing signal communication between the IC memory and the heat-sensitive transcription printing device.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a heat-sensitive transcription printing device employing a heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette including, on a sheet-shaped substrate, an IC memory, a power receiving/supplying means for supplying the power to the IC memory and signal communication means for having communication of signals with the heat-sensitive transcription printing device, the IC memory having the discrimination information proper to the heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette previously recorded thereon and which is able to electrically read out the discrimination information. The heat-sensitive transcription printing device includes power supplying means for supplying the power through the power receiving/supplying means to the IC memory of the IC label provided on the heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette, control means for collating the discrimination information previously recorded on the IC memory for controlling the picture printing operation based on the collated results, and signal communication means for performing signal communication between the IC memory and the control means to reproduce the discrimination information previously recorded on the IC memory by the control means in a non-contact fashion.